Published in Pnima Magazine

Community | Shira Segal

Ortal Gridish, married to Kobi, career military man. Parents to seven children, living in Tel Menashe. Self-employed, owner of the factory "Paamonim VeRimonim" – parochet and Jewish art

Photography: Naama Stern

What led you to move to the settlement?

We arrived at Tel Menashe about twenty years ago, a young couple with a baby girl. We knew that my husband continues in a military career, and that every two years we would need to move apartments according to the position, but as a family we didn't want to wander so we looked for a place accessible to the north and to the center. We arrived happily at Tel Menashe and discovered the advantage of a settlement and community – a positive and pleasant environment for us and for our children.

Tell us about your work.

I have a Judaica factory for parochet in the settlement, I design parochet for synagogues and for the graves of righteous people, using quality materials made in Israel.

I had the privilege to embroider a parochet for the tomb of Baba Sali, for the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and more, parochet for holy arks and platforms for the ark. Behind every parochet there is a story. These days I am embroidering a project of 800 Torah covers in memory of the fallen in the war: an embroidery of a flame composed of the Israeli flag with the verse "a time to mourn and a time to dance", and on the back of the cover a dedication in memory of the fallen soldier. The covers will be sold to Jewish communities around the world, each community will adopt a fallen soldier. On Simchat Torah we will be forced to deal for the first time with the mourning and sorrow alongside the joy in our holy Torah, the Torah of life.

As part of the work process I come to synagogues, and according to the character of the place or the person they want to commemorate I design a parochet with a special story behind it, and approach the craft with holy reverence.

Anyone who wants to come and see the embroidery process is invited to our visitor center. This way you can take an active part in choosing the fabrics, colors and threads, and see the machine in action.

How do the community and settlement respond? Do they cooperate?

The community is supportive and happy that there is a factory in the settlement that produces Judaica products. From the factory there is a view of all the Jezreel Valley, and on a good day you can see Mount Hermon. Thanks to the factory people get to know northern Samaria.

Tell us about the sense of community in the settlement. Women's gatherings, special activities and the atmosphere in which the children grow up.

The settlement offers social activities, Torah classes, women's gatherings and charity organizations. Quality youth who volunteer and organize amazing charity projects. For example, these days there is an ILAN camp in the settlement for children with disabilities, which the youth organizes. The youth helped during the war in operating a warm corner for soldiers, and is active in the Bnei Akiva branch and in the Oz movement.

Tel Menashe is an amazing settlement to raise children in, my children flourish here, enjoy friends and activities, life, childhood experiences and nature. The settlement is not too big, developing gradually, there is a variety of ages, and we know all the families. There is a kindergarten and an elementary school. The school is within walking distance, the children walk to and from the institutions and classes alone. Another advantage is the fresh and cool air – we are relatively high for the area, and even on hot days we enjoy a cool breeze in the evenings.

Only in Tel Menashe there is...

A supportive and encouraging community, and yet gives respect to the private space of the residents.

Business vs large family

I opened the business when I gave birth to my seventh daughter.

The challenge of combining a successful business and family is challenging and rewarding. The children are partners in the business during busy periods, help with packaging and production processes and also with household chores. There is a price for a self-employed and busy mother but there are also treats that are made possible thanks to the business. Without the support of the family I would not have succeeded. It was important to me not to give up on my dream and on my creativity.

What message would you like to convey to women who want to live in a settlement, but are worried that they won't find a livelihood, or feel insecure due to the location?

Living in northern Samaria has advantages and disadvantages, like anywhere, but we are believers, and the sense of security is not measured by location. It is possible to find work as an employee throughout the area and in nearby settlements, and for self-employed women there is room for entrepreneurship in the area.

Nearby city: Harish, 15 minutes drive.

Educational institutions: Daycare, four kindergartens and an elementary school.

Families in the settlement: About 160